The correct action is to change the Resource to "arn:aws:rds:us-east-1:123456789012:snapshot:automated:*". This is necessary because automated RDS snapshots use a distinct resource type—automated-snapshot—rather than the generic db-snapshot type used for manual snapshots. The original policy’s wildcard Resource ARN does not match the automated snapshot resource format, so the IAM policy fails to grant the required permission for sharing. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of how RDS snapshot resource ARNs differ between automated and manual snapshots, a common trap where candidates assume a broad wildcard covers all snapshot types. Remember that automated snapshots require the explicit "automated" segment in the ARN, while manual snapshots use a simpler structure. A useful memory tip: think of automated snapshots as “auto-ARN” needing the extra qualifier—if it’s automated, the ARN must be explicit.
DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator is troubleshooting a permissions issue. A user with the IAM policy shown is unable to share an automated system snapshot with another AWS account. Which action should the administrator take to resolve this issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Change the Resource to "arn:aws:rds:us-east-1:123456789012:snapshot:automated:*".
Option C is correct because the policy allows actions on DB snapshots, but automated snapshots have the resource type 'automated-snapshot' and require explicit resource ARN instead of '*'. Option A is wrong because the policy already includes the necessary actions. Option B is wrong because the issue is not about cross-region copying. Option D is wrong because the issue is not about manual snapshots.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Add the rds:ModifyDBSnapshotAttribute action to the policy.
Why it's wrong here
The policy already includes this action.
✗
Add the rds:CopyDBSnapshot action for cross-region copy.
Why it's wrong here
The issue is about sharing, not copying.
✓
Change the Resource to "arn:aws:rds:us-east-1:123456789012:snapshot:automated:*".
Why this is correct
Automated snapshots require a resource ARN that includes 'automated'.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change the Resource to "arn:aws:rds:us-east-1:123456789012:snapshot:rds:*".
Why it's wrong here
Manual snapshots use 'rds:', but automated snapshots use 'automated:'.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DBS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change the Resource to "arn:aws:rds:us-east-1:123456789012:snapshot:automated:*". — Option C is correct because the policy allows actions on DB snapshots, but automated snapshots have the resource type 'automated-snapshot' and require explicit resource ARN instead of '*'. Option A is wrong because the policy already includes the necessary actions. Option B is wrong because the issue is not about cross-region copying. Option D is wrong because the issue is not about manual snapshots.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DBS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Refer to the exhibit. An IAM policy statement allows creating manual snapshots for an RDS instance. A database administrator is unable to create a snapshot from the AWS Management Console. The error message indicates insufficient permissions. What is the likely cause?
hard
A.The condition key 'aws:RequestedRegion' is misspelled.
✓ B.The policy does not include necessary read actions (e.g., 'DescribeDBInstances', 'DescribeDBSnapshots') that the console uses.
C.The resource ARN is incorrect; it should include the snapshot ARN.
D.The condition uses 'StringEquals' but should use 'StringLike' for region matching.
Why B: Option D is correct because the console may try to list snapshots or describe instances, which require additional actions like 'DescribeDBSnapshots' and 'DescribeDBInstances'. The condition restricts the region, but the missing actions cause the failure. Option A is wrong because the region condition is correctly written. Option B is wrong because the resource ARN is correct. Option C is wrong because the condition uses 'StringEquals' correctly.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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This DBS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DBS-C01 exam.
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